Stabilized loose-leaf binder



Jan. 8, 1946. s. SEGAL 2,392,508

} STABILIZED LOOSE LEAF BINDER Filed June 7, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan. 8, 1946. SEGAL 2,392,508

STABILIZED LOOSE LEAF BINDER Filed 'Jl me 7 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Jan. 8, 1946 STABILIZED LOOSE-LEAF BINDER Samuel Sega], New York, N. Y., assignor to Wilson-Jones Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Massachusetts Application June 7, 1944, Serial No. 539,144

(Cl. 129F424) 4 Claims.

This invention relates to loose leaf binders of the type wherein separable end ring sections are disposed transversely of a resilient retaining casing'or cover and are carried by rockable arched frames adapted tobe pivoted transversely of the casin upon manipulating the ring sections to open or close the rings defined by the rin sections. Specifically the invention is concerned with a loose leaf binder of the type alluded to wherein complementary ring sections are secured to the rockable frames intermediate the end rin sections; Where intermediate complementary ring sections are employed, these sections are generally welded to the sides of the rockable frames and their terminals within the retaining cover member are appropriately connected or engaged to prevent buckling of the companion frames upon manipulation of the ring sections in opening or closing the rings. In actual practice, where the inner terminals of the complementary ring sections are not appropriately engaged or connected together, even though welded to the sides or shanks of the frames, they cause the frames to become weakened and unstabilized, consequently causing the frames to buckle, fly apart, and disassociate, thus rendering the loose leaf binder use less.

The object of the present invention resides in the prcv1sion of a stabilized loose leaf binder wherein the rockable frames are prevented from involuntary disassociation even though the intermediate complementary ring sections have their inner terminals disconnected or disengaged from each other although merely secured to the sides or shanks of the rOCkableor pivoted frames. The

invention has as a further object the provision of a novel and improved loose leaf ring binder wherein the arched frames are desirably reinforced in utilizing spaced toggle connections straudling an intervening expanded portion of the companion frames to which the intermediate complementary ring sections are secured. The invention has as a further object to impart in a loose leaf binder enhanced outwardly directed thrusts on the sides of companion frames in employing at least one more pivoted bearing or toggle connection than there are separable rings, hence insuring an expanded portion of the companion frames to be continuously rotatab-ly retained against the sides of the cover or resilient casing 1 against which they pivot, thus maintaining these in true operative alinement to permit all of the ring sections to properly aline and disengageablv interlock as desired on closing of the loose leaf binder. A further object is realized in adequately indenting corresponding portions of the companion rockable frames intermediate thereof to provide continuous cooperative bracing portions characterized by complementary toggle means, thus appreciably strengthening these frames to preclude accidental distortion or displacement of an expanded portion of the frames away from the sides of the cover. A further object of this inven- Figure 1 is a fragmentary top plan view of a loose leaf binder embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line IIII of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a plan view of the under side of the ring metal;

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line IV-IV of Figure 3; and

Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line V--V of Figure 3.

In the drawings, the reference numeral '2 indicates a binder back, to which a pair of cover members 3 is secured in any conventional manner. A cover plate or spring cover 4 is secured. to the binder back 2 by means of a plurality of rivets or eyelets 5; If desired, the cover plate and the back member may be countersunk, as indicated at 6 and 1 respectively, so that the rivets or eyelots will notproject beyond the top surface of the cover plate or the bottom surface of the binder frames ill is positioned in the cover plate 4 in side by side relationship. The frames l0 each have both ends terminating in separable ring sections H which project through the apertures 9 and engage each other to form a sheet retaining ring adjacent each end of the binder. Each frame is bent inwardly at a plurality of points to provide several spaced pairs of contiguous and companion contact neck or neck portions l3, l4, l5 and [6, which brace the expanded portions of the frames and constantly urge the expanded portions against the sides of the cover 4 when the ring sections are opened or closed. The

rockable end rings II.

intermediate the end rings II to provide an in-- termediate separable ring. These complementary ring sections I9 pass through apertures 9 in the cover plate and meet to form a third ring for the binder. The expanded portion ID of the frame III, to which the ring sections I9 are welded, is comparatively short, its length being limited by the contact necks I4 and I5 which straddle the portion I0.

It is obvious that the rigidity of this intermediate expanded portion I9 is increased as its length is decreased,

Wire rib metals have been previously made with a center ring welded to the wires, but all such metals have had the common characteristic that after the rings have been opened and and I5, respectively impart to the neck portions an outwardly directed or reactive thrust at all times which is transmitted to the diverging and converging limbs and to the primary and supplementary shanks hence confining or urging the latter at all times to rotatably bear against the spaced fulcrum mean 8. By such action, rigidity of the frames is appreciably enhanced and the frames are stabilized, reinforced and prevented from accidentally disengaging or flying apart when in use, even though inner terminals of the middle ring defined by ring sections I9 are spaced apart and welded to the supplementary shanks.

closed a few times, particularly if the rings are 7 opened by pulling outwardly on the center ring, the wires become distorted and the center ring sections fail to meet properly. In my invention the comparatively shortened span II) between the contact necks I4 and I5 does not permit disengageably interlocking end ring sections II define rings adapted to be separated or closed upon bodily pivoting or rocking the companion toggle frames I0 against the spacedsides or fulcrum means 8 of the cover 4 which is of the conventional spring type well-known in'the art. Integral with these frames I0 and disposed withinthe cover 4 are end pairs of juxtapositioned and companion primary contact necks or neck portions such as designated by I3 and I6.

Extending from and integral with the end necks I3 and I 6 of the frames are the primary diverging limbs 29. These flare towards the spaced fulcrum means 8. Merging with the diverging limbs Zuare the spaced and substantially parallel primary shanks 2| whichrotata-bly engage or bear against the spaced and dependin fulcrum means or sides 8.

Offset with respect to the spaced primary shanks 21, but integral therewith are the converging terminal limbs I2 and 22 which merge or are integral with a pair of supplementary contact necks or neck portions I 4' and I5 respectively. Diverging outwardly and integral with the supplementary neck portions I4 and I5 are. the supplementary limbs 23 which are integral with the spaced and substantially parallel supplementary shanks 24 whichare caused to bear however rorocking connections on the end neck portions I3 and I6 and on the intermediate neck portions I4 Bythe arrangement disclosed, the frames I0 each embody three pairs of loops or outwardly bowed portions generally denoted L L and L the limbs of which terminate or endin indented or neck portions as illustrated and described. In the assembled relation of the rockable frames corresponding but opposed bowed portions of the frames Ill are alined widthwise of thecover and define the most expanded parts between the frames and these expanded parts are rotatably confined and held against the sides 8 by the reactive thrusts imparted by the toggle connections on the neck portions which are at the ends of and straddling each loop, The toggle connections at the ends of the opposing but corresponding intermediate or intervening loops L of the series of loops L L and L also aid to rotatably hold and confinethe loops of-the terminal or end loops L and L against the sides of the cover which I in turn inherently provides as is well appreciated because of the covers resiliency adequate pressure against the'primary and supplementary shanks 2| and the supplementary shanks 24. This pressure is imparted to the toggle and rocking connections which in turn reactively urge the primary and supplementary shanks against the spaced resilient sides or fulcrum means 8, thus providing enhanced rigidity to prevent the collapse of the toggle frames which in fact may be said to characterize a series of spans S S and S characterized by the pairs opposing and corresponding outwardly bowed portions or loops L and L of the frames and by the pair of opposing and corresponding loops L intermediate of the frames. Each span therefore may be said to be closely straddled by the toggle connections at the ends thereof, for example span S by the toggle connections on the neck portions I5 and I6, span S by the supplementary toggle connections on the neck portions I4 and I5' and lastly span S by the toggle connections on the neck portions I 3 and I 4. Hence the reactive force imparted by the toggle connections constantly maintains the shanks of the spans against the fulcrum means or sides 8. A pair of companion contact necks as I3, I3, or I4, I4, "etc., may be said to be in juxtaposition or contiguouslydisposed.

Various changes may be made in details of construction and arrangement of parts without departing from'the spirit of the invention or sacrificing any of theadvantages thereof inherent therein. 7

I claim:

1. In a loose leaf binder, a spring cover having spaced sides, a pair of companion toggle frames within said cover, each of said frames having outwardly bowed terminal portions and an outwardly bowed intervening portion and corresponding bowed portions of said frames being disposed in opposition, each of said bowed'portions ending in spaced neck portions spaced'longitudinally of said frames, toggle means pivotally interconnecting corresponding neck portions of said frames for rotatably holding said bowed portions against said sides, complementary and separable ring sections carried by said frames, said corresponding and bowed portions of said frames being alined widthwise of said cover to define the widest portions between said frames, and other complementary and separable ring sections carried by said bowed intervening portions, the toggle means on said corresponding neck portions at the ends of said outwardly bowed intervening portions of said frames substantially closely straddling said intervening portions whereby the latter are maintained at all times against said sides.

2. In a loose leaf binder, a spring cover having spaced sides, a pair of companion toggle frames within said cover, each of said frames having outwardly bowed terminal portions and an outwardly bowed intervening portion and corresponding bowed portions of said frames being disposed in opposition, each of said bowed portions ending in spaced neck portions spaced longitudinally of said frames, toggle means pivotally interconnecting corresponding neck portions of said frames and rotatably holding said bowed portions against said side's, complementary and separable ring sections carried by said'frames, said corresponding bowed portions of said frames being alined widthwise of said cover to define the widest portions between said frames, and other complementary and separable ring sections carried by said outwardly bowed intervening portions, the toggle means on the corresponding neck portions at the ends of said outwardly bowed intervening portions being common to said outwardly bowed terminal portions and aiding to hold the latter against said sides, the toggle means on said corresponding neck portions at the ends of said outwardly bowed intervening portions of said frames substantially closely straddling said intervening portions whereby the latter are maintained at all times against said sides.

3. In a loose leaf binder, a spring cover having longitudinally arranged and spaced sides, a pair of companion toggle frames disposed within said cover and having complementary and disengageably interlocking end ring sections extending above and substantially adjacent to each end of said cover and transversely thereof to define spaced separable rings, said frames having a pair of companion and contiguous neck portions integral with and adjacent to each of said separable rings, primary toggle connector means for each pair of said companion and contiguou neck portions to provide spaced pivotal connections, said frames having primary limbs integral with said neck portions and diverging towards said sides, said frames having spaced primary shanks integral with said diverging limbs and disposed widthwise of said cover to rotatably bear against said sides, said primary shanks having terminal limbs biased relative to said shanks and converging towards each other, companion and juxtapositioned supplementary neck portions integral with said converging limbs, supplementary toggle connector means for said supplementary neck portions to provide spaced rocking connections for said frames, said frames having supplementary limbs integral with said supplementary neck portions and diverging towards said sides, said frames having spaced supplementary shanks integral with said supplementary diverging limbs and disposed widthwise of said cover to rotatably bear against said sides, complementary disengageably interlocking ring sections secured to said supplementary shanks and extend- .ing above and transversely of said cover, and said spaced rocking connection and said spaced pivotal connections reactively urging said neck portions outwardly for maintaining said primary and supplementary shanks continuously against said sides and said rocking connections substantially closely straddling said supplementary shanks to provide in cooperation with said sides rigidity to said supplementary shanks against said sides.

4. In a loose leaf binder, a spring cover having longitudinally arranged and spaced sides characterizing spaced fulcrum means, a pair of companion toggle frames disposed within said cover and having complementary and disengageably interlocking end ring sections extending above and substantially adjacent to each end of said cover and transversely thereof to define spaced separable end rings, said frames having a pair of companion and contiguous neck portions integral with and'adjacent to each of said separable end rings, primary toggle connector means for each pair of said companion and contiguous neck portions to provide spaced pivotal connections, said frames having primary limbs integral with said neck portions and diverging towards said fulcrum means, said frames having primary shanks spaced widthwise of said cover and integral with said diverging limbs and rotatably disposed against said fulcrum means, said primary shanks having terminal limbs biased relative to said shanks and converging towards each other, companion and juxtapositioned supplementary neck portions integral with said converging limbs, supplementary toggle connector means for said supplementary neck portions to provide spaced rocking connections for said frames, said frames having supplementary limbs integral with said supplementary neck portions and diverging towards said fulcrum means, said frames having supplementary shanks spaced from said primary shanks longitudinally of said cover and integral with said supplementary diverging limbs and spaced widthwise of said cover to rotatably bear against said fulcrum means, complementary disengageably interlocking ring sections defining a separable intenmediate ring extending above and transversely of said cover and having spaced terminals secured to said supplementary shanks, said spaced rocking connections and said spaced pivotal connections reactively urging said neck portions outwardly for maintaining said primary and supplementary shanks continuously against said fulcrum means, said spaced rocking connections substantially closely straddling said supplementary shanks, said frames adapted to be pivotally displaced against said fulcrum means upon manual opening of said rings or upon manual closing of the latter, and said primary and said supplementary shanks. continuously rotatably bearing against said fulcrum means during opening or closing of said rings.

SAMUEL SEGAL. 

